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Overview

GCAP 643: Health Psychology provides foundational knowledge of the key concepts, theories, and practices of this specialized area of psychology. The course is organized according to the core principles and skills that guide the practice of health psychology. GCAP 643 orients students to the application of current theories and models of health, illness, and death, across a variety of health settings.

This course is designed to help you develop assessment and intervention skills to address a range of health and illness concerns. As well, you will learn the vital role that health psychology plays in helping people make lifestyle changes, cope with health-related issues, and maintain a positive identity if the face of chronic health challenges.

Outline

Lesson 1: Introduction to Health Psychology

Lesson 2: Health Psychology Theories

Lesson 3: Stress and Coping

Lesson 4: Introduction to Health Psychology Interventions

Lesson 5: Intervention Virtual Poster Session

Lesson 6: Research in Health Psychology

Lesson 7: Health Inequity and Health Disparity

Lesson 8: Health and Identity

Lesson 9: Health Intervention Wiki

Lesson 10: Health Intervention Wiki

Lesson 11: Health Intervention Wiki

Lesson 12: Seminar Forum

Lesson 13: Future Directions in Health Psychology

Course Evaluation

To receive credit for GCAP 643, students must submit all of the course assignments. The passing grade for the course is B- (70%). The assessment structure for GCAP 643: Health Psychology is based on the following course activities, with the percentage weighting of each activity as indicated. Your final grade for the course will be a composite mark based in your performance on these course activities.

Course Activity

Weight

Assignment 1A: Self-Change Project

30%

Assignment 1B: Self-Change Reflective Journal

10%

Assignment 2: Health Intervention Wiki

45%

Participation in Online Discussion

15%

Total

100%

Course Materials

Other Materials

All course materials are available online.

Other Information

Students with a disability, who require academic accommodation, need to register with the Access to Students with Disabilities Centre at Athabasca University. Notification of the need for academic accommodation must normally be provided to the program office no later than fourteen (14) days prior to the first day of class. It is the student's responsibility to register with the Disability Centre to request academic accommodation if required and to notify the instructor that such accommodation has been requested. Every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate individual student needs. However, because GCAP courses are paced, all student are required to participate weekly in the online discussion forums. There are also several courses where online exams are required.

Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice.